The Houston Texans have made a lot of changes this offseason, particularly with their offensive line, where Ed Ingram is one of two holdovers from last season who appear locked into their starting spot for the 2026 season.
Ingram is heading into Year 2 with the Texans. Houston acquired him in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for a sixth-round pick during the 2025 offseason.
Happy with how his situation has turned out, Ingram is confident about the upcoming campaign.
Ed Ingram Gets Honest About Vikings Trade
GettyEd Ingram reflected fondly on his trade from the Minnesota Vikings to the Houston Texans.
Ingram, the 59th overall pick of the 2022 draft by the Vikings, started 14 games for the Texans last season. He re-signed this offseason ahead of free agency, inking a three-year, $37.5 million contract.
Ingram told KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson, “I love” the Texans, citing the “energy” around the organization being a “different feeling” and how their “tight-knit” group will have a big year.
“Mark my words, we’re going to that Super Bowl,” Ingram said, per Wilson on July 1.
“What better place for them to be than Houston?” Ingram said, giving a big shout-out to offensive line coach Cole Popovich for helping his development. “Coming here was probably the best thing to ever happen to me in my career.”
Ingram noted how happy he was to be able to put down some roots. He also explained how playing for his family helps light the fire inside of him on the field.
“Another guy’s trying to make you look bad. You’re trying to make him look bad. There’s only going to be a winner or a loser. There’s not going to be any in-between. Me, personally, I’m not going to lose. That’s my mindset,” Ingram said. “Every time I go into the field, it’s like I’m going to dominate whoever I go against. And whoever I go against, I’m going to try to put fear into their hearts, even though, like, I’m not afraid of anybody but God. The money I have, the gifts I have was all given to me by Him.”
Ingram believes in the Texans’ offensive line improvements.
He asserted that they will be vastly improved over last season, citing how they are on the same page and saying the team can count on them to generate a push in the run game and protect quarterback C.J. Stroud better than they did.
Texans Ripped Over Re-Signing Ed Ingram
GettyEd Ingram’s return was met with criticism for the Houston Texans.
As high as Ingram is about returning to the Texans, outside opinions have varied. Some have delivered an unflattering framing of the situation.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell called it their worst move of the offseason.
“Among the various moves [Nick] Caserio made up front a year ago, trading a sixth-round pick to the Vikings for Ingram might have been his biggest success,” Barnwell wrote in May. “Ingram improved as a run blocker from what we saw in Minnesota — but he was still a serious liability in pass protection, where the former second-round pick struggled with his base and was too easy to shed at the line of scrimmage.
“There’s a price for which bringing Ingram back would have made sense. But on this deal, Ingram is earning $15 million in 2026 and getting $5 million of the $9.25 million he’s owed in 2027 guaranteed at signing.”
Ingram was one of several younger guards whom Barnwell said he feels will not “live up to their contracts.” Barnwell said he would prefer to see times find hidden gems than flawed veterans.
Ingram was the former when the Texans traded for him, but his new deal changed that.
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